What do you think when you hear the words, ‘Rehab’ and ‘Coventry’? If, like me, those words conjured up thoughts of Amy Winehouse and Dion Dublin, then that may all be about to change — thanks in no small part to the efforts of local music enthusiasts from a handful of different genres, and specifically, Coventry’s brand new REHAB Warehouse.

Capitalising on the success of the warehouse is no new thing, of course, but bringing this tried and tested formula to the west-midlands most certainly is. Well, at least it is in this day and age.

So will it work? Early indications are that it will, as the project launched on the 26th January with a sell-out crowd of almost 1000 guests.

A casual glance at the forthcoming line-ups over the next few months sees everyone from Mike Skinner to Steve Lawler to Oneman touch down in the West Midlands too, and with guests of that calibre appearing, there seems to be a renewed appetite for music in this part of the country.

With all this in mind, we decided to catch up with one of the brains behind the project, Mr. Sam Stockmans, who took some time out to discuss the thinking behind the Warehouse with us…

What is the REHAB Warehouse and how did it come together?The Rehab Warehouse came about through the work of music enthusiasts from multiple musical backgrounds – everything from deep house to indie rock. It’s a combination of the city's best DJ's, band managers and event managers responsible for creating one of the most popular brands in the midlands. With the best club managers on the circuit, it’s the combination of experience and raw entrepreneurship that helped create the REHAB warehouse team.

What were the influences behind the club?There were many , butI think the most potent was the fact that Coventry was once - hard to believe I know - a hub for nightlife across the country. With some of the team lucky enough to experience this period and the younger minds wanted to experience this time, it made sense for the two to combine to attempt this fate once more.

Why do you feel Coventry needs something like this?The sad fact is that the music minds that are residents in Coventry have to travel for thit nightlife needs 90% of the time due to the weathered selection that Coventry had to offer. Many of these people are friends, family or even, ourselves! The plan is to save the city and residents and give them something that they want on their doorstep.

Is there an appetite for clubbing in Coventry these days, then?Massively - our opening night was a prime example, with just under a thousand clubbers chanting back "we want more" at 6:30am after the lights were turned on!

What will make the venue different from other warehouse places?The fact that Coventry has had nothing like this for a very long time will feed a very hungry crowd that's been waiting for this kind of experience here. Another factor is the venue itself, which is very versatile. We also plan to feature live art and exhibitions and live music nights too so that we’re offering more than a clubbing experience. We’re aiming to create a ‘media and cluture hub’ for the city to offer a more sustainable project. As I’m sure you’re well aware, nightclubs and warehouse venues can come and go very quickly, so we want to offer up alternative means of entertainment too.

What’s the thinking behind the diverse music policy?The current music policy within the city was crying out for change - with a lot of us live on social networks you pick up first-hand the wants of the city. We want to break away from the mainstream, and as I said previously, we want to keep the city residents from travelling far distances to get their kicks. We also want to draw people from all over the UK to the REHAB Warehouse.

What are your ultimate ambitions for the project?The ultimate ambitions for the project are to create a sustainable brand renowned for the music policy, a safe and euphoric atmosphere and to create music and media opportunities for our following. In a nutshell, we want to put Coventry ‘back on the map’ after such a long hide-away.